Click to play videoIndian sports' new Golden boy Abhinav Bindra is already eyeing his next target. The 25-year-old Olympic Gold medallist is aiming to make shooting more accessible in India. He spoke to CNN-IBN's Editor-in-Chief Rajdeep Sardesai.
Excerpts from the interview
Rajdeep Sardesai: Can one still succeed in our system? Is our system in a sense, still unable to nurture talent?
Abhinav Bindra: Well, our system is nowhere near perfect.
Rajdeep Sardesai: That is an understatement.
Abhinav Bindra: But the good thing is that the infrastructure is coming up. We are getting a lot of shooting ranges all across the country. That is very encouraging.
Rajdeep Sardesai: Do you believe that a middle class boy with talent can become a shooter in India?
Abhinav Bindra: It will be a challenge for sure. But it is possible. I mean, things are getting more accessible and in fact there is a lot of infrastructure being built. That is a positive sign. The system of course is ...
Rajdeep Sardesai: How about setting up a Abhinav Bindra shooting range in Chandigarh for all the young kids?
Abhinav Bindra I will. I have all the plans, too.
Rajdeep Sardesai: You have all the plans and that's great. Its great that you will set up that shooting range. i hope that it actually happens one day because that would be terrific.
Do you really believe that it is possible for Olympic sports to grow in this country. Is it actually possible to patronise sports other than cricket?
Abhinav Bindra: Well, the most important thing according to me is that the people responsible for sports and nurturing talent need to have a vision. They need to have a dream as well. Unfortunately, according to me that is completely missing and that needs to change first. Being an athlete requires a lot of hard work, working through so many obstacles and so much more to wage.
Audience question: Abhinav, we'd just like to know how are you going to tackle all the adulation, especially from the girls?
Rajdeep Sardesai: okay! I was waiting for that question. Where is the adulation from girls, Abhinav?
Abhinav Bindra: I heard that I am the most eligible bachelor and that there is a queue of girls waiting. But there was nobody there.
Rajdeep Sardesai: Madam (to Abhinav's mother, Babli Bindra), weren't any there? There should be some, lining up, surely?
Babli Bindra: These were the words put into my mouth at that time by the media. Of course he is a bachelor and when the right time comes, I am sure he will have someone on his life.
Rajdeep Sardesai: Okay, that's fair enough.
To catch this entire interview special CNN-IBN interview with India's Mr Goldfinger, do catch tune in at 8pm on Friday and at 7pm on Sunday.
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